A Graduation To Remember
by Cerulean Misty Blue
Summary: Severus Snape was surprised to say the least, but he wasn't about to let her get away with it so quickly. He released her from his arms to see her turn towards him. "Granger, I don't believe that was very appropriate for you to kiss a teacher."


Disclaimer: All except the plot belongs to JK Rowlings, writer of the fabulous and my favorite books Harry Potter. Including mine and everyone elses favorite Professor, Severus S. Snape.

This just came to me randomly as I was reading Sev/Mione fics.

A Graduation To Remember

Severus S. Snape walked into the classroom, his black robes floating behind him in a graceful, yet spooky manner - according to some kids anyways. Hermione was in her last year at Hogwarts, and she was secretly in love with him.

Harry and Ron had went on to study as aurors, getting pardon from missing the last year because of the battle against Voldemort. Severus Snape was found where Voldemort had left him, almost at death when the mediwizards came through. He survived to teach another day.

As far as she was concerned, she wanted to finish and graduate from Hogwarts, and then go on to becoming a mediwitch, like the one who had saved her beloved Severus. She was graduating today, but the headmistress had given her a book to return to Professor Snape.

She had shooed her away with a softer smile that she had seen from her old transfiguration teacher before, and she had a resounding twinkle in her eyes, like her old friend that had passed away the year before last. Albeit the twinkling wasn't as bright as the headmaster's had been, but that was something that Minerva McGonagall could work on as she grew older.

Something fluttered out of a pocket on Professor Snape's robes. Hermione, sitting in the front seat, reached whatever it was first. And when she looked at it, she nearly dropped it. It was a picture of the loveliest girl that she had ever seen, with fiery red hair and emerald green eyes - emerald green eyes that almost looked like her best friends. And, behind it, was a note. 'Lily Evans - 4th year. To Sev'.

Harry's mom? But why was he carrying her picture around? She had died long ago, seventeen years ago. And then, she understood. He was in love with her - it explained everything - the cold, bitter edge to the man in everything he done, it explained too much. And Hermione could feel her heart in her chest shatter like crystal, tears filling her eyes.  
**  
**In the portrait, she wore a cheerleading outfit, and the head girl badge like she was wearing. Lily was thin, and curvy, and what was Hermione? She had bushy hair that looked like a lion's scraggly mane, and muddy brown eyes as to opposed Lily's who shone like sparkling emeralds. And, Hermione wasn't as thin, as curvy, as beautiful as Lily. In other words, she could never compete with her. Severus was forever beyond her reach.  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"Miss Granger, return that to me at once." said Severus in a cold voice, but he didn't quite hide the quiver in his voice. She looked upset because of something - well, that had nothing to do with him, so he thought. He only wanted the picture of his love back. But her downtrodden look got to him, got to him like no one else had. Besides Lily. He groaned inwardly. "Miss Granger?"

Hermione laughed, and handed it back. "Sorry S-Professor, I must have lost it for a moment." she said, and handed the picture back to him, her hand accidently brushing his. The touch of his hand in hers sent a jolt to both of them, and their eyes met. Severus froze for a moment, his dark eyes widening for just a moment before clearing his throat. "Indeed." he replied, though he couldn't stop his voice from wavering slightly, and sounding off.**  
**-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  
**He finally took the picture and slipped it into his pocket, closing his eyes slowly. Why did Granger do this to him? It was close to the end of her last year - shouldn't that dissuade his head from wanting to get close to her? When she finally leaves, he would be alone again - no one to match his wits with - and the thoughts of not having her around then made his heart hurt more. He had to stop her, didn't he? But what if she was like so many that reviled him?

She didn't want to let this moment go - she was about to graduate, and she would not leave Hogwarts without letting her feelings be known to the Professor that she had adored for seven long years.

The same Professor that had protected them from so much, and helped them even more. And, she had seen him that dark night in the woods - he had led Harry with his patronus, in the shape of a doe to the Sword of Gryffindor.

So, in retaliation for his slightly wavery 'indeed', she stood on her tiptoes, and brushed her lips against his for a single moment, before she moved away, pausing only for a moment, before she ran out the door. Or at least attempted to, before she was seized by the arm, and then pulled into two lean, yet strong arms. Severus was much stronger than she would have imagined.

Severus Snape was surprised to say the least, but he wasn't about to let her get away with it so quickly. He released her from his arms to see her turn towards him. "Granger, I don't believe that was very appropriate for you to kiss a teacher." he said, but he smirked in amusement.  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------How should she play this? He didn't look angry - in fact, he looked amused. "Really? I had the impression that teachers weren't supposed to kiss back." she said with a sly grin. Well, she wasn't being yelled at, like she expected, but instead he was being almost. . . playful?  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Was there something that she didn't understand here? And. . . was Severus S. Snape, the horrible, dour potions master who was as quick to bite off a Gryffindor's head as his fellow teachers be smiling?!?

The corners of his mouth were slightly teased upwards, as if a fish hook had pulled it up just a little. And was that a faint blush on his paper-white cheeks? "Miss Granger, if you do not play fair, I will have no choice than to give you a detention." he said in his old way, but the slight smile was still on his lips so she knew that he was only joking.

"Tell me Professor, how long shall my detention be?" she teased, her grin widening. What would he say? She waited, nearly breathless for his answer, loving their little game. She had an hour until she graduated. Surely she had plenty of time...

"30 minutes Miss Granger, to answer your question. And you will be assisting me with something." he added, but then took a more serious approach. "Miss Granger, you are aware that I am a death eater, and this can only end with disasterous results?" he asked, completely serious now. "I have killed people in the cruelest of ways, and tortured several others. What if one day I turned my wand on you?" he asked, pain reflecting in his black eyes. In his thirty nine years, he had done a lot of terrible things.

"I'm very well aware of that. And, if you haven't turned your wand on me yet in seven years, I hardly expect you to do it now. Or later, if that's what your worried about. Severus Snape, I love you." she said pointedly, her hands coming to rest on her hips, as though she was speaking to an aspirating child.

The set of black brows that belonged to Severus went up high when she said that she loved him. "Is that some sort of joke? Who could love 'Snivellus'?" he asked, frowning darkly. There was no trace of amusement left in his face as the smile fleetingly dissolved into a deep frown.

Oh, she could tell that he must be hurting. It was clear in his eyes. James Potter had undone what could have been much, much more. "I could." she said firmly. "And its no joke. Since the war, you nor anyone else is a death eater, and as far as raising your wand to me, you haven't done it yet." she said. "Now you have a choice - you can either tell me that you love me or that you don't."

"Insolent girl, your far too young for me - I'm old enough to be your father!" he said with a frown. He saw her brows go up, and her rebuke did make sense. And now that she was of age, there wasn't much that anyone could really say, since she was his former student. Still, the rumors would spread.

Hermione's brows went up at Severus' rebuke. "That makes no difference to me, as you should well know. And I'll be damned the rumors." she said, as if she could read minds. She checked her watch and sighed. "Its almost time. I suppose I should be heading to the great hall." she said and made a movement to leave, when his cool hand wrapped around her arm once again. She turned and saw both hope and fear in his eyes

"Wait." he said. One little word, almost a whisper. "You - you really love me? This isn't some trick that Potter or Weasley set you to?" he asked, and he looked for any signs of lying as she shook her head and looked back at him with her brown eyes.

"Its no joke or prank. I promise." she said, pausing. "What do I have to do to show you that?" she asked when he yanked her towards him, her footing slipping as she fell fowards into her Professor's chest. Before she could pull away, two arms wrapped around her middle, one slipping to tilt her chin upwards before Severus kissed her gently at first, but then more passionately. Her hogwarts uniform was swallowed up in pure black as he lifted both his hands to her face.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid girl to tempt me so!" he growled, giving her quick, fierce kisses as he spoke every syllable. She started laughing. "Ack, Severus, stop! That tickles!" she moaned in her laughter, which made the frown on his face to change into a small, amused smirk.

When he finally released her, it was nearly time. She hesitated for just a moment. "Are you going to watch?" she asked, knowing that he would know what she meant. When he nodded, she beamed.

"Oh, I forgot - McGonagall sent me to return this to you." she said, getting the book from her bag and pressing it into his hand. "Minerva, you've grown too much like your predessor." he growled and sat it down. Hermione looked faintly amused

That night as Hermione stood, waiting for her name to be called, Severus Snape took a seat in the front, which astonished most of the other teachers. A faint smile found their way etched on the former Professor McGonagall's lips as she sat beside him. "Miss Granger certainly has done well. I'm glad that she came back to hogwarts to finish her education." she said, her brown eyes turned on Severus, before she rose to hand out diplomas.

"I'm sure you are." Severus said dryly. However, he had no more time to speak, as it was Hermione's turn to accept her diploma. Her red and gold graduation gown looked lovely, her bushy copper hair spilling out from her cap. Hanging from it was several honor student additions to her tassle, colored gold and red to match.

She took the diploma with one hand and shook McGonagall's with the other, and then she walked off the stage elegantly, before running to Severus, who went to the back of the great hall so that he wouldn't be seen.

Her brown hair flew behind her, thick and heavy curls almost toppling her cap as she ran, wrapping her arms around Severus. And if that didn't shock the school, the kiss that Hermione gave him certainly did. And cheers as the Slytherin head of house kissed her back. . .

Hermione Jane Granger merely laughed at this, and half of the Gryffindors present fell out of their chairs when they saw him smile. She tossed her graduation cap high into the air. . . this was the best day of her life. And, she had a feeling, that this was only the beginning. . .


End file.
